Improvement in skirt-wire



PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE D. DAY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SKIRT-WIRE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,377, dated May 5,1863.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, THEODORE D. DAY, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certainnew and useful Improvement in Wire for Skeleton Skirts; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and and exact description ofthe said invention.

The flat wire or springs employed in skeleton skirts is usually coveredwith braiding,

and this braiding has been more firmly affixed to the wire by sizing,through which the braided wire is passed and afterward dried andpressed. In all instances where steel wire is employed for skirts it isliable to rust, which immediately stains the braiding and disfigures theskirt. Besides this, the lower parts of the skirt very quickly becomesoiled by mud, water, and dirt in walking, and these parts of the skirtare always those observed if the dress is slightlylifted; hence ladiesvery often desire to have the skirt washed around the bottom to removethe soiled appearance. This heretofore could not be done, because thewire would rust and injure the appearance still more.

The nature of my said invention consists in a water-proof skirt-wirethat will not be rusted by the dampness or wet to which it is exposed inwear, and will allow of the wire being washed to remove mud, or thefabric surrounding said wire to be washed for cleansing the same withoutbeing injured by rust from the wire. To accomplish this object, I employa water-proof coating, applied to the wire in any of the modes practicedin the arts. In illustration I may state the following methods: First,the wire may be coated with such water-proof material by applying itwith a brush or passing the wire through the same and allowing it todry, and then braiding on the covering in the usual manner; or, second,thebraiding may be applied to the wire immediately after the applicationof the first or second coat of said water-proof material, in whichinstance the braiding or covering will be held to the wire,

and not slip on the same when in use, by the said water-proofmaterial asitdries; or, third, the braiding or covering may be covered with ordipped into the water-proof material with the wire after the wire hasbeen covered, and in all instances any desired color may be employed forthe waterproofing-coating; or, fourth, the ordinary braiding may beapplied outside the waterproof braiding applied as aforesaid.

In cases where skirts are made of muslin with tucks or pocketscontaining wires the skirt can be washed without removing the wires,where said wires have been rendered water-proof in the manner aforesaid.

The article which I thus produce of waterproof wire for skeleton skirtsis a new article of manufacture, very useful and much needed in theskirt business, for the best-made skirts become unfit for wear inconsequence of the dirt before they are injured by use; hence a greatsaving will be effected and agreat convenience obtained by the employmentof waterproof skirt-wire.

I am aware that it is common to paint and varnish wire and othermanufactures of iron and steel. I am also aware that common wire hasbeen insulated by wrapping and coating for philosophical purposes. Theseprocesses I do not claim. My improvement relates solely to preventingthe oxidizing of the peculiar manufacture of flat spring-steel known incommerce and the arts as skirt-wire, and has for its ultimate object thepreservation of a portion of the apparel of women, in a mannerheretofore unknown in the arts. Therefore I claim- Water-proofskirt-wire prepared substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 18th day ofJuly, 1862.

. THEO. D. DAY.

Witnesses:

' LEMUEL W. SERRELL, CHAS. H. SMITH.

